factorytalk view se v5 0 (cpr9) distributed system design considerations 2007 12

7/17/2019 FactoryTalk View SE v5 0 (CPR9) Distributed System Design Considerations 2007 12

1/41

FactoryTalk ViewSite Edition v5.00 (CPR9)

Distributed System

Design Considerations

Rev. 1.0, December 2007


2/41

This page left intentionally blank.

View SE v5.0 (CPR9) Distributed System Design ConsiderationsRev. 1.0 Page 2 of 41


3/41

Table of Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 5RSView Supervisory Edition is now FactoryTalk View Site Edition............................................................5Whats New in this Document?......................................................................................................................5

Prerequisite Reading.......................................................................................................................................5

Related Documentation .................................................................................................................................. 6Revision History.............................................................................................................................................6

Whats New in FactoryTalk View Site Edition (Network) v5.00 (CPR9)? .......................................................7Known Issues......................................................................................................................................................9

Recommended Platform Requirements..............................................................................................................9

Installing a new Operating System on computers ........................................................................................ 11Server OS vs. Workstation OS .....................................................................................................................11

Internet Information Server (IIS)..................................................................................................................12Windows Error Reporting ............................................................................................................................ 12

Workgroup vs. Domain .................................................................................................................................... 12

Workgroup....................................................................................................................................................12

Domain ......................................................................................................................................................... 12

Domain Best Practices......................................................................................................................................13Windows Support Tools ............................................................................................................................... 14

Software Installation (New for CPR9!)............................................................................................................14

Default File Locations for FactoryTalk View SE Distributed Applications ................................................ 15Component Installation Best Practices.............................................................................................................16

System Limits...................................................................................................................................................16

Activation ......................................................................................................................................................... 17EvRSI Activation..........................................................................................................................................17

FactoryTalk Activation (New in CPR9!) ..................................................................................................... 17

FactoryTalk Alarms & Events (New in CPR9!)...............................................................................................18

Secure Web Site (New in CPR9!) ....................................................................................................................18Redundancy (HMI & Data Server)...................................................................................................................18

System Modification ........................................................................................................................................ 19

General System Modification Procedure (Redundant & Non-Redundant)..................................................19System Modification Procedure on Redundant Servers...............................................................................19

Communications...............................................................................................................................................20

Live Data: TCP/IP or DCOM (New in CPR9!)........................................................................................... 22

RSLinx Enterprise Predefined Items............................................................................................................ 22How many tags can RSLinx poll in a given amount of time?......................................................................22

RSLinx Classic vs. RSLinx Enterprise vs. 3rd

Party OPC............................................................................23RSLinx Classic Remote OPC Server ........................................................................................................... 24

FactoryTalk Gateway ................................................................................................................................... 24

RSLinx Classic with a Logix Controller ...................................................................................................... 24

System Security................................................................................................................................................25FactoryTalk Security ........................................................................................................................................ 25

Access to Open an Application ....................................................................................................................26



4/41

Windows Terminal Services.............................................................................................................................27

Time Synchronization ...................................................................................................................................... 28

HMI Tags and Direct Referenced Tags............................................................................................................28Tag related limits..........................................................................................................................................28Tag Database (HMI Tags) ............................................................................................................................ 29

Direct Referenced Tags ................................................................................................................................ 29

Alarm Acknowledge Bit...............................................................................................................................29Calculate number of tags on-scan.................................................................................................................29

Data Logging .................................................................................................................................................... 30

Data Logging to Secondary Path..................................................................................................................30Multiple data log models .............................................................................................................................. 31

Data Log Storage Formats............................................................................................................................31

Trending ........................................................................................................................................................... 31

Database Considerations .................................................................................................................................. 32Language Switching (Improved in CPR9!)......................................................................................................32

Global Objects (Improved in CPR9!)...............................................................................................................32

Graphic Displays .............................................................................................................................................. 32Importing and Exporting Graphic Display XML Files ................................................................................ 33

ActiveX Components ................................................................................................................................... 33

Visual Basic for Applications.......................................................................................................................34FactoryTalk View SE Enterprise Tools............................................................................................................34

Naming Components ........................................................................................................................................ 34

Overall Considerations ..................................................................................................................................... 35How to determine what SE projects load when O/S initializes....................................................................36

Designing A Multi-User System ..................................................................................................................36Languages.....................................................................................................................................................37Misc. Procedures .......................................................................................................................................... 37

Project Documenter (New post CPR9!) ........................................................................................................... 37RSView32 to View SE Conversions ................................................................................................................37

ControlLogix Redundancy (v13 and above) .................................................................................................... 38

Automatic IP Address Swapping..................................................................................................................38

Tricks and Tweaks............................................................................................................................................38Tools and Utilities ............................................................................................................................................ 39

Additional Reference Links..............................................................................................................................39

FactoryTalk View Site Edition (Network) ................................................................................................... 39

FactoryTalk View Machine Edition ............................................................................................................. 39General ......................................................................................................................................................... 41

Communications...........................................................................................................................................41ControlLogix ................................................................................................................................................ 41

Microsoft ...................................................................................................................................................... 41



5/41

Introduction

This document is a supplement to the FactoryTalk View Site Edition v5.00 documentation that is installedwith the software. It is designed to make system developers aware of the fundamental best-practiceguidelines for designing and implementing a FactoryTalk View Site Edition distributed application.

RSView Supervisory Edition is now FactoryTalk View Site Edition

FactoryTalk View Site Edition v5.00 is part of Rockwell Softwares Coordinated Product Release 9 (CPR9).

With the release of CPR9, many Rockwell Software products have been re-branded with FactoryTalk toreflect their compliance with the companys systems-oriented software offerings and the Integrated

Architecture. However, many references to the old product names will remain for the foreseeable future.

For example, in the case of FactoryTalk View Site Edition, many Knowledgebase Answer IDs andfolder/files names will continue to contain RSView SE.

Note: To minimize confusion, in the remainder of this document we will typically refer to the

product as simply View SE.

For more information on the Integrated Architecture and the FactoryTalk Services Platform, refer to

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/factorytalk/integrated.html. For more information onFactoryTalk View, refer to http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/performance/view/.

Whats New in this Document?

In addition to the applicable View SE legacy content, this document contains new information that is

specific to the View SE v5.00 (CPR9) release. Sections with new information are clearly marked with(New in CPR9!) or (Improved in CPR9!). However, the document is leaner than previous versions

because much of the general networking content was moved to a new document entitled Ethernet Design

Considerations for Control System Networks. This companion document provides fundamental best-practice

guidelines for designing the Ethernet infrastructure for your Supervisory Controls and Data Acquisition(SCADA) systems using Rockwell Automation hardware and software products.

Prerequisite Reading

The following View SE related documents are installed with the product and should be considered

prerequisite reading for this document:

FactoryTalk View Site Edition Installation Guide (RSViewSEInstall.pdf)

FactoryTalk View Site Edition User's Guide Volume 1 (RSViewSEUsers1.pdf) FactoryTalk View Site Edition User's Guide Volume 2 (RSViewSEUsers2.pdf)

FactoryTalk Security Quick Start Guide (FTSecurityQuickStart.pdf)

FactoryTalk Alarm & Events Quick Start Guide (FT Alarm and Events Quick Start.pdf)

RSLinx Enterprise Getting Results Guide (RSLinxEnterpriseGRG.pdf)

They can also be found in the Rockwell Automation Literature Library.

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/factorytalk/integrated.htmlhttp://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/performance/view/http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/so/enet-so001_-en-e.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/so/enet-so001_-en-e.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webassets/browse_results.hcst?familyTitle=Performance%20%26%20Visibility&categoryTitle=Software&xLanguage=EN%20-%20English&CategoryId=0034&FamilyId=3678&passedLangVal=EN%20-%20Englishhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webassets/browse_results.hcst?familyTitle=Performance%20%26%20Visibility&categoryTitle=Software&xLanguage=EN%20-%20English&CategoryId=0034&FamilyId=3678&passedLangVal=EN%20-%20Englishhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/so/enet-so001_-en-e.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/so/enet-so001_-en-e.pdfhttp://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/performance/view/http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/factorytalk/integrated.html


6/41

When using View Studio or the SE Administration console, links to most of these documents are located on

the Help menu:

Note: In a default View SEinstallation, the .PDF files launched by these links can also be found in

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Rockwell\Help. They may also be available in the RockwellAutomation Literature Library for Software.

Related Documentation

The following related documents provide additional information which you may find of interest:

Ethernet Design Considerations for Control System Networks

Logix5000 Controllers Design Considerations

Ethernet/IP Performance

Integrated Architecture for Process Control System

Revision History

Revision 1.0 (11/2007): Initial release for v5.00 (CPR9).

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webassets/browse_results.hcst?familyTitle=Performance%20%26%20Visibility&categoryTitle=Software&xLanguage=EN%20-%20English&CategoryId=0034&FamilyId=3678&passedLangVal=EN%20-%20Englishhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webassets/browse_results.hcst?familyTitle=Performance%20%26%20Visibility&categoryTitle=Software&xLanguage=EN%20-%20English&CategoryId=0034&FamilyId=3678&passedLangVal=EN%20-%20Englishhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/1756-rm094_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/1756-rm094_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/ap/enet-ap001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/ap/enet-ap001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/proces-rm001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/proces-rm001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/proces-rm001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/ap/enet-ap001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/1756-rm094_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webassets/browse_results.hcst?familyTitle=Performance%20%26%20Visibility&categoryTitle=Software&xLanguage=EN%20-%20English&CategoryId=0034&FamilyId=3678&passedLangVal=EN%20-%20Englishhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webassets/browse_results.hcst?familyTitle=Performance%20%26%20Visibility&categoryTitle=Software&xLanguage=EN%20-%20English&CategoryId=0034&FamilyId=3678&passedLangVal=EN%20-%20English


7/41

Whats New in FactoryTalk View Site Edition (Network) v5.00 (CPR9)?

New features in this release can be found in the Whats new in FactoryTalk View Site Edition 5.00 section

of the Release Notes. The Release Notes are available from the View SE installation menu:

After View SE is installed, a link to the Release Notes is also located on the Help menu of FactoryTalk View

Studio (and the FactoryTalk View Administration console):

A summary of the new features has also been included in this document:



8/41

Product name changesto better reflect Rockwell Automation's system-oriented software and

integrated architecture. These name changes are effective with CPR9:

Former product name New name

Rockwell Software Rockwell Automation

RSView, RSView Enterprise FactoryTalk View

RSView Studio FactoryTalk View Studio

RSView Supervisory Edition FactoryTalk View Site Edition

RSView SE Distributed FactoryTalk View SE (Network)

RSView SE Stand-alone FactoryTalk View SE (Local)

RSView SE Client FactoryTalk View SE Client

RSView Machine Edition FactoryTalk View Machine Edition

RSView ME Station FactoryTalk View ME Station

RSAssetSecurity FactoryTalk Security

FactoryTalk Automation Platform FactoryTalk Services Platform

Simplified FactoryTalk Services Platform installto make installation easier.

Redundancy enhancementsincluding increased stability and the replication of data from the

primary HMI server to the secondary HMI server after runtime edits have been made to an

application.

Run-time HMI tag and alarm editingto let you make and save changes to HMI tag and alarm data

without having to take your application off-line.

Global object parametersthat let you customize each reference global object instance with a

specific tag(s) for that instance without having to break the link to the base object's tags andexpressions. This means each reference object can have a unique data source(s), and still be able to be

updated with changes to other aspects of the base global object. Backing tag supportthat lets you select a structure tag in the left-hand pane of the object browser

and return a partial tag identifier to the editor that launched the browser. This structure tag can be

assigned to a faceplate object to supply values to multiple objects.

Parameter enhancementsthat provide support for embedded variables in tooltips and title bars;

literal numbers and strings in the embedded variable syntax; and display of right-most characters in

embedded string variables.



9/41

A default language for language switching, and support for 40 languages.

String spreadsheet editingthat lets you export text strings for all languages supported by an

application to an Excel spreadsheet in one easy operation. You can also import text strings in one ormultiple languages from an Excel spreadsheet to an application.

Docked graphic displaysthat remain anchored to the side of the screen. Docked displays can be

used as a banner display with alarm summary objects, a menu display for navigation, or as

header/footer displays.

Numeric input object enhancementsto allow for the definition of a range of acceptable numeric

limits through user-assigned minimum and maximum values that are validated prior to download.

FactoryTalk Alarms and Eventsthat allow for device-based alarm monitoring via pre-built alarminstructions in RSLogix 5000 v. 16, displayed in FactoryTalk Alarm and Event graphic objects, that

are available in the FactoryTalk View Graphics editor.

FactoryTalk View SE Secure Web Sitelets you set up a secure web site that IIS will use instead of

its default web site, to transfer information between HMI servers and clients in a FactoryTalk View

SE network application.

The Alarm and Event Librarythat contains a FactoryTalk Alarm and Event alarm summary. The

former Alarm Information library has been renamed to HMI Tag Alarm Information. This is found

under Libraries in the Graphics folder.

FactoryTalk Activation is now supported,while legacy support for EvRSI activation is maintained.

Known Issues

Known issues in this release can be found in the Known Issues section of the Release Notes.

Recommended Platform Requirements

The hardware and software you use with FactoryTalk View Site Edition depends on the demands anapplication places on the system. The greater the demand, the more powerful a system you need.

For large or complex applications you should use computers with faster CPUs and more RAM. In any

application, faster CPUs and more RAM will result in better performance.

In addition, there should always be sufficient disk space to provide virtual memory that is at least twice the

size of the physical RAM.

FactoryTalk View Site Edition Network Server with up to 10 clients

Minimum: Intel Pentium 4, 2GHz or higher, 1GB RAM

Recommended: Dual Core, Intel Pentium 4, 3GHz or higher, 2GB RAM, or more



10/41

Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2; Microsoft Windows 2000 Professionalwith Service Pack 4; or Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition with Service Pack 1 or R2

Internet Information Server The server's host must be a member of a Windows workgroup or domain. A domain is recommended.

FactoryTalk View Site Edition Network Server with more than 10 clients

Minimum: Dual CPU, Intel Pentium 4, 2Ghz, 1GB RAM

Recommended: Dual CPU, Intel Pentium 4, 3GHz or higher, 2GB RAM, or more

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4, or Microsoft Windows Server 2003 StandardEdition with Service Pack 1 or R2, with the appropriate number of client access licenses (CAL)

installed

Internet Information Server

The server's host must be a member of a Windows domain. (Workgroups cannot be used with morethan 10 computers.)

FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk View Administration Console

Minimum: Intel Pentium III, 930MHz, 512 MB RAM

Recommended: Intel Pentium 4, 2GHz or higher, 1GB RAM, or more

Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2, or Microsoft Windows 2000 Professionalwith Service Pack 4

FactoryTalk View Site Edition Network Client Minimum: Intel Pentium III, 930Mhz, 512MB RAM

Recommended: Intel Pentium 4, 2GHz or higher, 1GB RAM, or more

Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2, or Microsoft Windows 2000 Professionalwith Service Pack 4

All FactoryTalk View Site Edition (Network) Applications

Anyone running a network (distributed) application on Windows 2000 Professional with Service

Pack 4 or Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition with Service Pack 1, should install the Microsoft

Hotfix for the DCOM 108 (also known as RPC_E_DISCONNECTED) errors. Go to Answer ID

37039in the Rockwell Automation Knowledgebase for details and a link to the Microsoft patch.

This fix does not apply to Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2, or Microsoft Windows

Server 2003 Standard Edition R2.

For the latest information about the software platforms supported by FactoryTalk View SE, refer to

Answer ID 42682(CPR-9 Supported Platform Matrix) in the Rockwell Automation Knowledgebase.

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=37039http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=37039http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=42682http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=42682http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=37039http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=37039


11/41

Tips

Some Microsoft operating system service packs and hot fixes are not compatible with FactoryTalk

View Site Edition. To find out if there are any problems with a particular Microsoft update, refer toAnswer ID 20450(RSView SE Operating System and Service Pack compatibility) in the Rockwell

Automation Knowledgebase.

FactoryTalk View Site Edition is tested on operating systems installed from original Microsoft media

only.

Installing a new Operating System on computers

Be sure to always install the PC vendor supported or recommended OS if upgrading or modifying your

system. In some cases there are not proper hardware drivers for a particular hardware/software combination.Using unsupported operating systems or drivers can cause the computer to be unstable. Obviously if the OS

is unstable, it is too much to ask for any applications running on it to be stable. Please be aware thatcomputer manufacturers can make modifications to Operating Systems which may impact the installation or

performance of our software products. It is recommended to use full versions of the intended operating

system on all workstations.

Server OS vs. Workstation OS

It is highly recommended that the FactoryTalk Directory, HMI and Data Servers be installed on aserver OS. Windows XP and 2000 Pro are workstation operating systems (they have a 10 connectionlimit). Multiple connections are established to each server by every View SE Client (including

View SE Studio).

As a general rule, servers and clients should be in the same Windows OS vintage. For example,

Windows 2000 clients should not be used with Windows 2003 (or Windows XP) servers. Thecombination of Windows XP SP2 servers and Windows 2000 Professional SP4 clients has been

problematic with both Rockwell Software and third-party products. Refer to Answer ID 32427 -

FactoryTalk View SE clients get no data when Windows XP SP2 hosts an OPC data server.

View SE server side components are not supported on clustered servers. However, when using

Windows 2003 Server and Terminal Services, you can install the SE Client component on 2003

Terminal Servers that are using Network Load Balancing (NLB).

Virtualization is not supported in a production environment. Refer to Answer ID 30209 - RockwellSoftware in Virtual Environments. However, there are no known issues with virtual computing

environments and they can be utilized for HMI system development and testing.

When you are running a distributed application on Windows XP Professional and using Windows

workgroups, you must disable the default XP feature, 'simple file sharing', or View SE clients will notbe able to authenticate. For details, refer to the Windows XP help, or look under the heading 'View

SE in a Windows workgroups environment' in the Known Issues topic of the release notes. Answer

ID 25595 - Cannot login to RSView using Windows security when computer belongs to a workgroup

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=20450http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=32427http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=32427http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30209http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30209http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=25595http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=25595http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=25595http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=25595http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=25595http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30209http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30209http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=32427http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=32427http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=20450


12/41

Internet Information Server (IIS)

Internet Information Server (IIS) is a required component for any computer acting as an HMI Server and it isnot recommended for any other SE computers (Data Servers, clients, etc). When you install IIS, you should

only install the minimum required components as described in Chapter 4 of the FactoryTalk View SE

Installation Guide. For more information on using IIS with FactoryTalk View SE, refer to Answer ID 39618- FactoryTalk Internals: FactoryTalk View Site Edition IIS Handbook.

Windows Error Reporting

There is an error reporting feature included with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 that you can use to

report computer and program errors to Microsoft. Typically, there is no benefit to using this feature in aRockwell Software environment and we recommend disabling it. For more information refer to Answer ID

42651- Instructions for disabling the Windows Error Reporting feature.

Workgroup vs. DomainView SE is supported in both domain and workgroup environments, within limits:

Workgroup

Decentralized Administration

Advantages:

No Domain Controller (Windows Server OS) to purchase.

One less computer in network to maintain.

Recommended only for small SE applications where user accounts dont change often.

Workgroup Rules:

The system can consist of no more than 10 View SE computers.

All computers participating in a single application must be members of the same Windows

workgroup.

All users participating in the workgroup must be members of the Administrators group.

Create the same set of user accounts and passwords on every computer in a View SE Site Edition

application. For details refer to Help provided with Windows.

Domain

Centralized Administration

Advantages:

Centralized Administration

One place to manage Users, Groups and Security

Automate IP addresses with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), and Name

Resolution and with Domain Name Service (DNS) and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS).

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39618http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39618http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=42651http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=42651http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=42651http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=42651http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39618http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39618


13/41

Domain Rules:

For applications consisting of more than 10 computers, a domain controller is required.

Rockwell Software components (including FactoryTalk) should notbe installed on domaincontrollers.

Domain Best PracticesExtensive information on Microsoft domains is beyond the scope of this document, however there are somekey points that users of a View SE system in a Windows Domain should understand:

View SE supports the following domains:

o Windows NT4o Windows 2000 Server Active Directory(in Native or Mixed mode)o

Windows Server 2003 Active Directory(in any functional level)

Note: Windows 2000 Active Directory (AD) domains introduced the concept of a forest.

A forest can consist of a single domain tree, or multiple domain trees. A domain tree can

consist of a single domain (a.k.a. the parent domain) or multiple domains (a.k.a. the childdomains). We recommend a single forest, single tree, single domain configuration. In

Windows Server 2003 Active Directory, both domains and forests have individual functional

levels. We recommend the default functional levels:o Domain: Windows 2000 mixedo Forest: Windows 2000

To determine the Window 2000 domain mode, launch Active Directory "Domains and Trusts"

(Start > Programs > Administrative Tools), right-click the domain and select "Properties". Todetermine the Window 2003 functional levels, the identical procedure is used.

You should choose your internal Microsoft Active Directory domain names carefully. An internal

Microsoft Active Directory domain name should not be confused with an Internet (external) domain

name, and while they can be the same name, typically they are not. Consult your companys ITdepartment or the Microsoft Best Practice Active Directory Deploymentfor more information.

Domain Controller Redundancy:

o Windows NT4: In addition to the Primary Domain Controller (PDC), we recommend at leastone backup Domain Controller (BDC) to provide high availability.

o

Windows 2000 Server & Windows Server 2003 Active Directory: We recommend atleast 2 domain controllers, where both are configured with the Global Catalog(GC) role toprovide high availability. By default, the GC role is only on the first domain controller in the

forest, but you can add the GC role on other domain controllers from the Active Directory

Sites and Services console. Simply expand Sites > site name> Servers > server name, right-

click NTDS Settings, and select Properties. The Global Catalog check box is on the Generaltab. Note: There are still a number of single instance domain controller roles that can result

in a single point of failure. These 5 Flexible Single Master Operations(FSMO) roles are:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/da255f53-ae6c-4af8-80f1-9b3c046022311033.mspx?mfr=truehttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/technologies/activedirectory/plan/bpaddsgn.mspxhttp://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/24311c41-d2a1-4e72-a54f-150483fa885a1033.mspx?mfr=truehttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/distrib/dsbl_fsm_mxvk.mspx?mfr=truehttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/distrib/dsbl_fsm_mxvk.mspx?mfr=truehttp://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/24311c41-d2a1-4e72-a54f-150483fa885a1033.mspx?mfr=truehttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/technologies/activedirectory/plan/bpaddsgn.mspxhttp://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/da255f53-ae6c-4af8-80f1-9b3c046022311033.mspx?mfr=true


14/41

1. PDC Emulator (one per domain)

2. Infrastructure master (one per domain)

3.

Relative ID (RID) master (one per domain)4. Schema master (one per forest)5. Domain naming master (one per forest)

You should configure time synchronization throughout your domain. For more information, refer tothe section entitled Time Synchronizationlater in this document.

Prior to deploying View SE, both new and existing active directory domains should have their

operation verified using Microsofts Domain Controller Diagnostics (Dcdiag.exe) utility. This utilityis included with the Windows Support Toolslocated on the Operating System CD and also availablevia downloadfrom Microsoft.

Rockwell Software does not support our software on computers configured as domain controllers.The following information comes from a Microsoft TechNet article posted at

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/maintain/security/secdefs.mspx.

The key sentence in this TechNote is "In general, Microsoft does not recommend runningapplications on computers configured as domain controllers, and certainly not applications that

require more than Authenticated User privileges in order to run successfully." Installation of any

application software on a domain controller can have adverse affects on the network and is theresponsibility of the user to accept the risk.

Windows Support Tools

Microsoft provides numerous diagnostic tools for Domain Controllers, Active Directory and networking in

general that must be installed after the operating system. To install the tools, browse your operating systemCD (Windows XP and Server 2003) to \Support\Tools\ and run SupTools.Msi. To get an overview of the

tools available, click Start > Programs > Windows Support Tools > Support Tools Help.

Software Installation (New for CPR9!)

With the release of CPR9, the FactoryTalk Automation Platform (FTAP) has been renamed as the

FactoryTalk Services Platform (FTSP), and the installation no longer requires any user interaction orconfiguration.

The View SE installation is largely unchanged, however in order to simplify the installation we recommendfollowing the FactoryTalk View Installation Assistant,which can be found using the Open Installation

Instructions link from the View SE installation menu:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/f7396ad6-0baa-4e66-8d18-17f83c5e4e6c1033.mspx?mfr=truehttp://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/74787a10-6dff-4623-98ab-dc26f1faa6eb1033.mspx?mfr=truehttp://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6EC50B78-8BE1-4E81-B3BE-4E7AC4F0912D&displaylang=enhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/maintain/security/secdefs.mspxhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/maintain/security/secdefs.mspxhttp://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6EC50B78-8BE1-4E81-B3BE-4E7AC4F0912D&displaylang=enhttp://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/74787a10-6dff-4623-98ab-dc26f1faa6eb1033.mspx?mfr=truehttp://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/f7396ad6-0baa-4e66-8d18-17f83c5e4e6c1033.mspx?mfr=true


15/41

Note: Establish your systems computer names prior to installing FactoryTalk Service Platform and

View SE. Changing computer names after the installation of the software is not recommended.

Default File Locations for FactoryTalk View SE Distributed Applications

The locations of the product files vary slightly depending on the operation system used:

Windows 2000:

Network FactoryTalk Directory File:C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Rockwell\RNAServer\Global\*.RnaD

Application Files:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE\HMI Projects\

Windows Server 2003:

Network FactoryTalk Directory File:C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Rockwell\RNAServer\Global\*.RnaD

Application Files:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE\HMI Projects\

Windows XP:Network FactoryTalk Directory File:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Rockwell\RNAServer\Global\*.RnaDApplication Files:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE\HMI Projects\

Help Files and additional documentation: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Rockwell\Help



16/41

Component Installation Best PracticesDue to the distributed nature of the components of View SE, there are numerous possible architectures for a

given distributed system. For example, consider a small distributed system consisting of the following

components: FTD, HMI Server, Data Server, 2 Clients. This system could be deployed several ways usingonly 2 PCs, here are just 2 examples:

1. PC #1 = FTD, HMI Server, Data Server, Client #1; PC #2 = Client #22. PC #1 = FTD, HMI Server, Client #1; PC #2 = Data Server, Client #2

The problem with both of these examples is the lack of server-client autonomy. It is highly recommended

that server and client roles be hosted on separate PCs. The installation of a client on the same PC as the HMI

server is a supported architecture, however many scenarios exist that require a reboot of the client PC. Insuch a configuration, the reboot of the client will also shutdown the HMI server which affects the other

distributed clients that were connected to the same HMI server. The implementer of such configuration isknowingly accepting this behavior. Therefore, a preferred solution for this system would be:

PC #1 = FTD, HMI Server, Data Server; PC #2 = Client #1; PC #3 = Client #2.

Following this recommendation requires an additional PC, but the additional hardware cost is typically more

than offset by increased system usability and maintainability. Servers are typically located in a secured,

environmentally controlled area, clients are typically in a control room or on the plant floor.

System Limits

To set up a FactoryTalk View Site Edition HMI system successfully, observe these limits taken from the

View SE Installation Guide:

The maximum number of FactoryTalk View Studio clients that can have simultaneous access to a

FactoryTalk View Site Edition application is 5.

The maximum number of HMI servers supported in an application is 10.

Each redundant server definition is a pair - primary and secondary. Therefore, each redundant server

definition consumes 2 of the 10 available servers.

The maximum number of FactoryTalk View SE Clients that can have simultaneous access to aFactoryTalk View Site Edition application is 50.

In non-redundant scenarios, the maximum number of HMI servers that can be hosted on a single

computer is 2.

In redundant scenarios, the maximum number of HMI servers that can be hosted on a single computer

is 1.



17/41

Activation

An electronic product activation tool, FactoryTalk Activation, is now supported along with EvRSIactivation. EvRSI activation will be replaced by FactoryTalk Activation in a future release. If you are using

EvRSI activation, please contact your local Rockwell Automation Sales office or Technical Support for

information on migrating your EvRSI activations to FactoryTalk Activation.

EvRSI Activation

When using the EvRSI activation mechanism with View SE, you generally have 3 configuration options:1. on local hard drive

this is the recommended configuration, for more information refer to the Activation On-line Help(Programs > Rockwell Software > Utilities > Activation Help).

HMI Servers must use this configuration.2.

on a network drive

often used for SE Client activations, so that they do not need to be placed on each individual

client computer

for more information, refer to the Activation On-line Help and Answer ID 2777 - Network

Installation Of EvRSI.SYS Activations

3. on the FactoryTalk Directory (a.k.a. Floating)

for more information, refer to the Activation On-line Help.

FactoryTalk Activation (New in CPR9!)

FactoryTalk Activation also provides a choice of configuration options:

1.

node-locked (includes local and mobile)2. concurrent (includes floating and borrowed)

For more information regarding FactoryTalk Activation, refer to:

the FactoryTalk View SEInstallation Guide: Chapter 6 - Activating FactoryTalk View software

the FactoryTalk Activation On-line Help

Answer ID 35251 - FactoryTalk Activation Frequently Asked Questions

Answer ID 44623 - What are FactoryTalk Activations and How Do They Work?

Answer ID 35717 - How to make communication available between the FactoryTalk ActivationServer and Client

If you plan to deploy a FactoryTalk Activation Server, refer to: Answer ID 35376 - FactoryTalk Activation Server User Management

Answer ID 41573 - FactoryTalk Activation End User Options File to Include/Exclude BorrowingActivations

Answer ID 35708 - How to support FactoryTalk Activations in a LAN/WAN Environment

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2777http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2777http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2777http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35251http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35251http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44623http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44623http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35717http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35717http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35717http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35376http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=41573http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=41573http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=41573http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35708http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35708http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=41573http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=41573http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35376http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35717http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35717http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44623http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35251http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2777http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2777


18/41

FactoryTalk Alarms & Events (New in CPR9!)Before FactoryTalk Alarms and Events, FactoryTalk View SE supported only HMI tag alarm monitoring.

To maintain compatibility with existing applications, FTV still supports this type of alarm monitoring.

However, FactoryTalk Alarms & Events now allows multiple FactoryTalk products to participate in acommon, consistent view of alarms and events throughout a FactoryTalk system. For more information,

refer to:

FactoryTalk Alarms & Events Quick Start Guide

Answer ID 44177 - FactoryTalk Alarms & Events - Special Considerations for the initial release

Answer ID 44479 - How To Configure a Device-Based Alarm Server in CPR9

Secure Web Site (New in CPR9!)

FactoryTalk View SE Secure Web Site lets you set up a secure web site that IIS will use instead of its defaultweb site, to transfer information between HMI servers and clients in a FactoryTalk View SE network

application. For information about when and how to enable it, refer to Chapter 5 of the Users Guide orAnswer ID 39618 - FactoryTalk Internals: FactoryTalk View Site Edition IIS Handbookin the Rockwell

Automation Knowledgebase.

Redundancy (HMI & Data Server)Redundancy requirements are unique to each application. The ideal redundant solution involves having at

least two instances of everything hardware, software, networks, and so on. In practice, this is seldomfeasible or even necessary. View SE redundancy allows creation of duplicate server information that can be

used if a server fails. The desired outcome is to maximize system availability. Software redundancy is notthe equivalent of PLC style hot backup.

Keep in mind that FactoryTalk View SE Enterprise Redundancy is typically used for:

Computer hardware failure

Software failure on one HMI/Data Server computer

Power failure on one HMI/Data Server computer

Before setting up redundancy, plan:

Which components in the system require redundancy?

What software components on PCs require backup systems?

The network layout of the components within the system.

CPU processing load that is expected for each computer.

Software redundancy can be configured for:

HMI Server

Data Server

Note: Alarm & Events Server redundancy is not available in CPR9.

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44177http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44177http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44479http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44479http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39618http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39618http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44479http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44177


19/41

If using (2) computers, one server should be designated as the Primary with the responsibility of the

Primary HMI Server and Primary Data Server. The second computer designated as Secondary with the

responsibility of the Secondary HMI Server and Secondary Data Server. A load sharing configurationwhere one server is the primary in one role and the secondary in the other role is not recommended.

The FactoryTalk Directory server does not require configuration for redundancy. The FactoryTalk Directory

information is cached on each computer that is participating in a distributed application. If the FactoryTalkDirectory server computer is disconnected from the network or fails, each client and server in the application

can continue to access the graphics (from HMI Servers) and tags (from Data Servers) in the application as

long as the computer had previously accessed the FactoryTalk Directory server. However, since theFactoryTalk Directory is required to edit the application, the FactoryTalk Directory must be located on a

highly available PC separate from those used to host the HMI and Data Servers. If this is not the case, and

the favor current option is used, unexpected server switchover is possible. For more information on this

behavior, see the Setting up a Redundant FactoryTalk View SE System section in Answer ID 40891 -FactoryTalk View SE 5.0 (CPR9) Server Redundancy Guidelines.

Additional Information

FactoryTalk View SE Users Guide Volume 1: Chapter 14 - Setting up FactoryTalk systemavailability

Answer ID 40891 - FactoryTalk View SE 5.0 (CPR9) Server Redundancy Guidelines

Answer ID 28707 - Considerations for returning a restored primary HMI server into service

Answer ID 35411 - Method to automatically reboot the secondary SE server after a failover and

switchback

Answer ID 44624 FactoryTalk View SE 5.0 (CPR9) - Determining any Server's Current Status and

State in a Display Client.

System Modification

General System Modification Procedure (Redundant & Non-Redundant)

Some tag information is loaded into RAM when the View SE services start. Therefore, some tag

database modifications may require:o Server restart/reboot

o Client session restart

o Client screen refreshIn order for the change(s) to take affect. The integration team should evaluate what modifications

may be needed and have a procedure in place to allow for them once a project has beencommissioned.

System Modification Procedure on Redundant Servers

Simple Display modifications which do not require new Tag creation can be copied and pasted from

one server to the other without halting the servers. The change will then take effect the next time thescreen is displayed.

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=40891http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=40891http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=40891http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=40891http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=28707http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=28707http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35411http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35411http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35411http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44624http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44624http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44624http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=44624http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35411http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=35411http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=28707http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=40891http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=40891http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=40891


20/41

Simple Macro modifications which do not require new Tag creation can be copied and pasted fromone server to the other without halting the servers. The change will then take effect the next time the

macro is executed. Simple modifications to Data Log Models, Derived Tag Files, and Event Files which do not require

Tag creation can be copied and pasted from one server to the other without halting the servers. Prior

to changing these files they should be stopped first, by issuing the following commands:o DatalogOff

o EventOff

o DerivedOff

Once modifications have been completed and saved, then the files need to be restarted by issuing thefollowing commands:

o DatalogOn

o EventOn

o

DerivedOn Type the command without the < > around the object name.

HMI Tag Deletion requires halting the server and transferring the project to the other server. All

references to tags must first be removed. This includes all reference used in Display Animation, VB

code, Event File, Derived Tag File, and Data Log Model.

Any Alarm Tag changes which require the use of the Accept Button in the Tag Database editor

requires halting the server and transferring the project to the other server.

CommunicationsRSLinx Classic (RSLC) and RSLinx Enterprise (RSLE) can both communicate with SLC/PLC/CLX

controllers. However, RSLE is the preferred method of communications for View SE unless one of the

following features of RSLC is needed.

OPC/DDE Server to non-FactoryTalk applications (RSLE can provide OPC, but requires FactoryTalk

Gateway)

Alias Topic Functionality

Unsolicited Messaging

Complex communication routing. Protocol changing (ex. Ethernet to DH+)

Offline browsing of PLC/SLC RSLogix files

RSLC and RSLE can also co-exist on the same computer at the same time (refer to Appendix C of the RSLE

Getting Results Guide for more information).

When designing an application, do not duplicate references to Data Servers (RSLC, RSLE and 3rd

Party OPC

Servers) in the application. Tags from a single Data Server may be referenced from any HMI project in anyarea of the application; therefore, it is recommended to place only one Data Server per Area. If a particular

physical area in the plant has more than one Data Server (RSLinx for Rockwell controllers and Kepware for

a 3rd

party controller, for example), create logical sub-Areas to separate the two as illustrated below:



21/41

For more information, refer to Answer ID 29663 - FactoryTalk View SE Area Best Practices.

When planning communications:

Gather information about the types of controllers or devices in the plant, and the software that is

available for communicating with them.

Determine how the programmable controllers on the network will communicate with the application.

This will help plan the number of Data Servers needed in the application.

Determine how the application will access data in the controllers or devices. In most instances, thevalues in controllers or devices can be directly referenced without needing to create an HMI tag.

For certain special instances however, the need to set up an HMI tag database may exist. HMI tags provideextended capabilities, such as:

Triggering alarms when tag values cross a specified threshold.

Scaling or offsetting a value before sending it to a programmable controller or device.

Security

Data Servers allows clients to access information in programmable controllers, devices and other Data

Servers that comply with the OPC-DA 2.0 specification.

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29663http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29663


22/41

Live Data: TCP/IP or DCOM (New in CPR9!)FactoryTalk System Policy now allows you to choose your Live Data protocol. This policy setting affects

communications between client and server services and between the FactoryTalk directory and servers on thenetwork. This setting is considered a "default" because if the FactoryTalk Live Data service detects that

some components on the network are not compatible with the selected policy setting, it overrides the policy

and uses whichever setting is most likely to ensure uninterrupted communications. For example, for third-party servers and RSLinx Classic, FactoryTalk Live Data will not attempt a TCP/IP connection and will

always use DCOM.

The FactoryTalk Services Platform installation process evaluates the services and components on your

network and sets the communication protocol appropriately. For example, if you upgrade from an earlier

version of the FactoryTalk platform to FactoryTalk Services Platform 2.10 (CPR 9) or later, the

communications default is automatically set to DCOM. If you install FactoryTalk Services Platform 2.10 or

later for the first time on a computer, the communications default is automatically set to TCP/IP. Typically, itis not necessary or advisable to change the default setting. Refer to the FactoryTalk online help for more

information.

RSLinx Enterprise Predefined ItemsRSLinx Enterprise Predefined Items are internal counters and strings that are made available as data items

(tags) for diagnostic purposes. These items differ from regular data items in that they access internalinformation contained in RSLinx Enterprise. The referenced technote includes two View SE graphics

containing RSLinx Enterprise diagnostics counters. One graphic contains counters that can be used with

ControlLogix family controllers and the other one contains counters that can be used with PLC-5, SLC, andMicroLogix family of controllers. These graphics will import into aView ME or SE project. Refer to

Answer ID 30148 - Using RSLinx Enterprise Diagnostic Counters - Predefined items

How many tags can RSLinx poll in a given amount of time?

There is no straight forward answer to this question. There are many factors involved, some of which are:

The computer hardware that the data server (RSLinx Classic or Enterprise) is running on. The

more memory and the faster the processor, the better.

Additional CPU loading from other software running on the same computer. Even if the

multiple software products are compatible to run on the same PC, you may be hurting yourperformance by having them fight for PC resources. Use Task Manager or Perfmon to monitor for

resource hogs. Those software packages may need to be moved to another PC to improve the overall

performance.

Other software packages communicating to the controllers from the same or different PC. Batch or Recipe packages doing uploads or downloads.

The network the data will be polled over (Ethernet, ControlNet, DH+, DH-485, Serial, Dial-up,

etc.). There are physical and practical limits to how much data a network can transmit. Additional

research may be needed for your specific design.

The number of controllers the data server will need to communicate with. Just as in

conversations, it is easier and more productive for you to call one person for a lot of information than

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30148http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30148http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30148


23/41

it would be for you to call fifty people for only a little bit of information each. That is one reason

why a data concentrator controller may be beneficial or needed.

The type of controllers. Some of the newer Logix brand controllers have been developed withnetworking optimization in mind and therefore perform better then others.

How the controller program is written. Are the tags or data points optimized in the controller to be

in consecutive blocks or are they scattered randomly throughout the controller? Are they in arrays?

How the controller is configured. In the Logix family of controllers you have the ability to tune thecommunication time slice. This setting only applies to the continuous task in a project. The

background task uses the remaining time after running the periodic tasks and any motion task. This

determines how much time is used for communication processing. You must be sure not to increasethis value too much so that it does not impact on the scan time of the controllers program. Refer to

Answer ID 25915 - Setting the Overhead Time Slice or Increasing Processor Bandwidth for Comms.

RSLinx Classic vs. RSLinx Enterprise vs. 3rd

Party OPC

When designing an application, do not duplicate references to Data Servers (RSLinx Classic, RSLinxEnterprise and 3

rdParty OPC Servers) in the View SE application. Tags from a single data server may be

referenced from any HMI project in any area of the application.

Place all Servers (HMI and Data) in their own individual Areas. Answer ID 29663 - RSView SE Area Best

Practices.

RSLinx Classic:

Applications containing more then 10,000 active tags on scan may require its own dedicated host

computer. This is dependent on hardware performance. When using Alias Topics never use Switch on Error when communicating to ControlLogix

processors. Answer ID 26228 - Using RSLinx Alias Topic "Switch On Error" and "Switch On

Command"

Can communicate with SLC/PLC/CLX controllers (including PLC-2, PLC-3 and PLC-5/250)

Complex communication routing. Protocol changing (ex. Ethernet to DH+)

Can serve OPC data

RSLinx connections to processors on an Ethernet network. Answer ID 7480 - RSLinx; EthernetNetworks; Problems and Solutions.

RSLinx Enterprise:

RSLinx Enterprise is optimized to provide the best performance for large numbers of clients (morethan 10), and large number of tags (more than 10,000), even if located on the same computer as the

HMI server.

Can communicate with SLC/PLC/CLX controllers (excluding PLC-2, PLC-3 and PLC-5/250)

Can serve OPC data with the addition of FactoryTalk Gateway

Preferred View SE data server to Rockwell controllers

3rd

Party OPC servers

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=25915http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29663http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29663http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26228http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26228http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26228http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=7480http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=7480http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=7480http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=7480http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26228http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26228http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29663http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29663http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=25915


24/41

Applications containing more than 10,000 active tags on scan may require its own dedicated hostcomputer. This is dependent on hardware performance.

RSLinx Classic Remote OPC Servermust be selected under the "OPC Server name (ProgID):" whenconfiguring RSLinx as an OPC Data Server in View SE. Regardless of where the actual copy of RSLinx.exeis running the "RSLinx Remote OPC Server" option must be selected in order to prevent problems accessing

OPC Topics. To better understand what is remote vs. what is local, the Data Server should be viewed from

the SE Client point of view and not the HMI Server. In most cases Data Servers will be remote from the SEClient point of view. In the rare case where an SE Client may host a Data Server, using the "RSLinx Remote

OPC Server" configuration will not cause any problems.

FactoryTalk Gateway

FactoryTalk Gateway is an OPC server that enables OPC clients to connect to FactoryTalk

applications that contain RSLinx Enterprise and FactoryTalk View Site Edition servers. By doing so,they can access tag data within those applications.

It is OPC Version 2.05 compatible.

FactoryTalk Gateway Station is for use on stand-alone, local applications.

FactoryTalk Gateway Distributed is for FactoryTalk network applications.

Only one FactoryTalk Gateway can be installed per computer.

Multiple FactoryTalk Gateways can point to a single FactoryTalk application.

FactoryTalk Gateway can only point to a single FactoryTalk application at a time.

FactoryTalk Gateway can communicate to as many unique tags as licensed.

20 remote OPC clients have been formally tested and validated against FactoryTalk Gateway.

FactoryTalk Gateway v3.00, released in CPR9, must be used with RSLinx Enterprise v5.00 and ViewSE/ME v5.00 also released in CPR9

For additional information, refer to Answer ID 45470 - RSLinx Enterprise Getting Results Guides.

RSLinx Classic with a Logix Controller

Please be aware that there are known issues when online editing or downloading to a Logix Controller,particularly when RSLinx Classic is being used as the Data Server. If a client application requests tag data,

RSLinx Classic will group the tags into packets, and put these packets on scan with the controller(s). If an

online edit or download causes a change to the controllers data table for a data packet on scan, the packetmay need to be taken off scan, and put back on scan for the changes to be reflected.

This may be as minor as navigating off a particular HMI Display to take the tags off scan, and thennavigating back to the display; however, in larger, distributed applications (particularly with alarms, event

detection, data logging, etc. all enabled), it may be operationally difficult to achieve this short of rebooting

the RSLinx Data Server. This would obviously affect ANY client requesting data from this instance ofRSLinx Classic.

Many of these issues have been addressed with RSLinx Enterprise, which was designed specifically for theLogix family of controllers, and why RSLinx Enterprise is the recommended Data Server for this platform.

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=45470http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=45470


25/41

RSLinx Classic was originally designed for the structured data tables of the SLC and PLC product lines. The

Logix platform introduced new communication and memory performance parameters that can affect RSLinxClassic. For this reason, RSLinx Enterprise was designed to be the preferred communication server for theLogix platform. Please consult the local Rockwell account representative for a complete comparison.

Answer ID 30605 - Runtime Editing with RSLinx Classic and Logix Processors

System SecuritySecurity threats to a Process Control System generally fall into 4 categories: external, internal, intentional

and accidental. Detailed security recommendations against external threats are beyond the scope of thisdocument. However, there are some basic measures that should be taken to protect against the most common

threat the day-to-day users of the HMI system. Recommendations in this area include:

Password protect the computers BIOS: to prevent booting from anything other than the local hard

drive, configure the computer to boot only from the hard drive, and then configure a BIOS passwordso that mischievous users cannot change the boot device

Password protect the local Administrator account: this often overlooked task is critical

Configure the Windows environment so that it is strictly business for the operators: restrict access

to required applications only using Group Policy (in a domain) or Local Policy (on an individualmachine or workgroup). Rockwell Softwares DeskLockcan also be used for this purpose.

FactoryTalk SecurityFactoryTalk Security authenticates user identities and authorizes user requests to access a FactoryTalk-

enabled system. These security services are fully integrated into the FactoryTalk Directory and are included

as part of the FactoryTalk Services Platform. FactoryTalk Security includes user authentication thatdetermines who can open, create, modify, and delete application components, and on which computers the

actions are allowed. You also use FactoryTalk Security to add user and group security accounts as well as

Windows-linked accounts, and set up security for common actions such as tag writes, open, and delete.

You can set up FactoryTalk Security to:

Prevent writes to specified tags from the View SE Client.

Prevent access to specified displays from the View SE Client.

Prevent access to specified commands from the View SE Client.Prevent changes to the application from FactoryTalk View SE Studio or the FactoryTalk View SE

Administration Console.

To open the FactoryTalk View SE User Accounts editor or the Secured Commands editor, the user requires

access to the Common/Create Children action, in addition to the Common actions, Configure Security, List

Children, Read, and Write, on the area or application.

FactoryTalk Security Technical Data

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/rsas-td001_-en-p.pdf

FactoryTalk Security Product Profilehttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/pp/rsas-pp001_-en-p.pdf

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30605http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30605http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/rsas-td001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/rsas-td001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/pp/rsas-pp001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/pp/rsas-pp001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/pp/rsas-pp001_-en-p.pdfhttp://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/rsas-td001_-en-p.pdfhttp://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30605


26/41

Answer ID 30980 - FactoryTalk Security - Tips and Best Practices

Access to Open an ApplicationTo open an application in View SE Studio, theuser must have read/write access to the sub-

folder that holds the HMI projects. If, for

examplethe security designation for View SE

Studio users is Power Users, they will notnecessarily have write access.

To make sure that the settings for Power Usersare correct, navigate to the sub-folder that holds

the HMI projects; right-click; select Properties.

Refer to Default File Locations for SEDistributed Applications earlier in this

document for folder locations.

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30980http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30980http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=30980


27/41


In the Security tab of the Properties dialog, select Power Users from the list of groups and user names. In the

Permissions box below the list, select Full Control and check the Allow check box.

Additional information:

Answer ID 26251 - DCOM Security Settings for RSView SE

Remote Logging

Answer ID 28967 Starting an RSView SE Data Log into a

remote ODBC Database on Boot, without logging in.

Answer ID 39984 SE Alarming: How to enable the SE

Alarm Logger to log to a remote machine.

Answer ID 29103 - Virtual Private Networking (VPN)

Connections for Remote Communications Across the Internet

Windows Terminal Servicesver 2003 Terminal Services, refer to technical notes Answer IDView SE 5.0 fully supports Windows Ser

29919 - Using RSView SE with Windows 2003 Terminal Servicesand Answer ID 33116 - UsingFactoryTalk Security and Terminal Server Clients with CPR7.

Terminal Services is a standard feature built into the Windows Server family (Server, Advanced

e in

ur

operating system and the

or this

mputer and all the processing is done on the server,

Server, and Datacenter Server) which provides remote access to servers from practically anywher

your enterprise. It is a transparent system that runs applications and performs data processing andstorage functions on the server computer to minimize the amount of information traveling across yo

network. While multiple sessions run on a single server, each user can only refer to their individual

session. Users desktops are transmitted to clients for display using terminal emulation software.Similarly, the software sends print streams and command functions such as keyboard inputs and

mouse clicks across the network between the client and the server.

For a computer to be a Terminal Services client, it only requires an

Terminal Services client software. No other software (not even a web browser) is required. Freason, these clients are known as thin clients.

Since minimal software is needed on the client co

client computer hardware can be scaled down to reduce cost.
http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26251http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26251http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=26251http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=28967http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=28967http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=28967http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39984http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39984http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=39984http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29103http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29103http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29919http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=33116http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=33116http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=33116http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=33116http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=33116http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=33116http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29919http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/rockwellautomation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29103http://rockwel

factorytalk view se v5 0 (cpr9) distributed system design considerations 2007 12

Documents

factorytalk view se

rsview supervisory edition

server os

workstation os

information server iis

domain best practices

table of contentsintroduction

revision history